Carbon Pulse

Emissions covered under the EU ETS rose by 0.3% in 2017, the European Commission said Friday, confirming the small increase both reported in preliminary data released last month and predicted by analysts.

The EU’s highest court has ruled that chemicals firm Evonik is not entitled to additional free carbon allowances because its method of producing gases does not fall within a defined benchmark.

Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator this week issued 244,000 carbon credits, taking the total number of offsets issued since the programme started in Dec. 2012 past 50 million, although the majority of the units have been snapped up by the government itself.

A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.

North American carbon markets jumped into life late this week as the WCI programme prepared for its second quarterly auction result, while RGGI traders began to plan for the northeast US market’s second sale of the year.

The European Commission is gearing up to propose deeper EU emission reduction goals later this year as lawmakers are increasingly willing to accept more ambitious near-term measures, according to EU climate chief Miguel Arias Canete.

A Rhode Island bill that would have implemented a state-wide carbon tax was halted by a House committee this week, meeting an identical fate to both the Senate version and similar legislation floated last year.

News and analytics firm ICIS is losing its lead North American carbon markets analyst, Carbon Pulse has learned.

ICIS, the leading global carbon markets data & research provider, is looking for a Lead Analyst – North American Carbon Markets. Ideally, the position is based in Houston, Texas or New York City.

EU carbon prices broke new ground above €15 after Thursday’s auction attracted sturdy interest and cleared at the highest level since 2011.

New Zealand’s coalition government on Thursday announced its 2018 budget, which included plans for a NZ$100-million ($69 mln) Green Investment Fund as well as additional funding to establish the Climate Change Commission advisory, carry out ETS amendments and prepare for internationally-linked carbon markets.

South Korean CO2 allowances have closed up three days in a row as demand remains strong with the June 30 compliance deadline for 2017 emissions approaching.

A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.

Utah’s state-sponsored lawsuit challenging California’s carbon market and coal power restrictions will advance until the new fiscal year, the lawmaker spearheading the initiative told Carbon Pulse.

Carbon-cutting activities in Peru’s waste sector could be developed using international emissions trade in a way that resolves many concerns over how carbon markets can contribute to the Paris Agreement, according to an initial draft of study commissioned by Nordic countries.

A Washington DC lawmaker will introduce a carbon fee and rebate bill in early June that would see the US capital implement the highest carbon price of all sub-national proposals put forth throughout the country this year.

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) published new draft rules on Tuesday that would set CO2 standards for the few remaining coal plants in the state’s fleet, helping the state phase out the fossil fuel entirely by 2020.

EU carbon allowances rocketed above €15 on Wednesday for the first time since 2011 after a failed auction appeared to light a fuse under prices.

The UK's fortnightly EU carbon auction was cancelled on Wednesday due to insufficient interest, sale host ICE said.

New Zealand’s industry association for sheep and beef farmers, a major source of GHG emissions, has pledged to go carbon neutral by mid-century but wants recognition for more carbon sinks if the sector is brought into the emissions trading scheme.